The QMJHL will award a brand new trophy at the end of the season, the Patrick Roy Trophy, awarded to the best goaltender in their league. So this means that at the end of the 2023-2024 campaign, a first name will be entered on this new award. Who are the main candidates?
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The Patrick-Roy Trophy is awarded by a committee consisting of NHL scouts covering QMJHL activities based on the following criteria:
- The goalkeeper must have been involved in at least 40% of his team’s minutes of play;
- He must excel in the following categories: goals allowed average, save percentage, shutouts and win percentage;
- He must have had a significant impact on his team’s overall performance throughout the season while also showing some consistency in his skills.
The season is still young, very young, but let’s try to predict which goalkeepers are likely to meet these criteria when the time comes for the committee vote.
William Rousseau (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies)
William Rousseau Photo provided by Dany Germain / Foreurs de Val-d’Or
After being one of the pillars of the Gilles-Courteau Trophy and Memorial Cup last season with Patrick Roys Remparts, it would be almost too perfect a story if William Rousseau got his hands on the trophy bearing his former coach’s name. But the chances are very real: The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, despite a more complicated first weekend, are one of the favorite teams to replace the Remparts as QMJHL champions this season. There is no doubt that Rousseau will play an important role in the pack’s success.
Mathis Rousseau (Halifax Mooseheads)
DIDIER DEBUSSCHERE/JOURNAL DE QUÉBEC
As long as we’re on to the good stories, we might as well move on: Patrick Roy was the idol of Langis Rousseau, the father of Mathis, the Halifax Mooseheads goalkeeper. During the playoffs last year, he told the Journal that a jersey worn by Roy in 1993 and signed by him hung on a wall in the family home. Rousseau was one of the best goaltenders in the QMJHL last season and should once again be among the elite at his position this season on a Mooseheads team that believes it has what it takes to avenge its Finals failure. for receiving the Gilles Courteau Trophy.
Nathan Darveau (Victoriaville Tigers)
DIDIER DEBUS SCISSORS/JOURNAL DE QUEBEC
One of the big stories of recent years in the QMJHL, Darveau capped a near-historic season with Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Year honors in 2022-2023. Despite his height of 1.77 m, the Tigres veteran is one of the hardest goalkeepers in the entire circuit and, like the two Rousseaus, will be counted on to be a competitive team again in 2023-2024, while the Tigres are considered the top teams on the circuit by the majority of observers.
Olivier Ciarlo (Baie-Comeau Drakkar)
Olivier Ciarlo Photo Pascal Huot
This will undoubtedly be the best lineup Drakkar has presented since Ciarlo joined the team at the age of 16 in 2020-2021. The North Shore team is entering the final years of its rebuilding cycle and the organization made two major acquisitions over the summer, brothers Raoul and Jules Boilard. At 19 years old, the Drakkar’s 2020 second-round pick is ready for his best career season in the QMJHL. The Drakkar should be part of the teams in the first third.
Riley Mercer (Drummondville Voltigeurs)
Riley Mercer Photo provided by Ghyslain Bergeron / Voltigeurs de Drummondville
The brother of New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer had a successful first weekend: three goals allowed in two games – two wins – for a goals-against average of 1.49 and a winning percentage of 0.949. The Devils also invited him to their rookie camp, where he apparently did well. The 19-year veteran is now back in Drummondville, where the team made several changes at all levels during the summer season, including the hiring of Sylvain Favreau as head coach and the acquisition of Ethan Gauthier. Mercer should be one of the best at his position this season.